LoZ: Tears of the Fallen
by Megami-Sama88
Summary: Link and Zelda are forced to run as the Royal Family of Hyrule gets overthrown by a mysterious being from another dimension. Rated T for language... rating might change in the future to M. I ship ZeLink.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_Hello my dear readers! I have decided to write another LoZ fic, as you might have guessed. I want to explain that this fic takes place four centuries after the original Twilight Princess, so there will be new characters accompanying our Link and Zelda. We will see some familiar characters as well. Also, this _will_ be a fic that ships ZeLink and there _might_ be some lemon... just not sure when, if at all. I also want to say that I added elemnts of all my favorite games, like ALttP, OoT, and TP. Maybe more in the future. Forgive any and all typos, as I am still typing this on my phone. I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The smoke could be seen from miles away. Thick, black smoke ascending towards the evening sky. Link wondered what was going on and where, for the smoke was not coming from Death Mountain, the active volcano his uncle had told him about. His father and his uncle told him humorous tales of their adventures in various places in the kindgdom of Hyrule, back when they had been young men themselves. Link envied them and spent his days day-dreaming about having adventures of his own one day. He had never stepped outside of this hamlet in the outskirts of Ordona Province. The farthest from home he had ever been was Ordon Village, about an hour east of where he lived; and that could hardly count as an adventure, as the path to Ordon Village was straightfoward. A thin, dirt road connected the two, and the only thing of any real interest was the tiny pond along the way that was full of curious little faries Link had always admired (but had never dared aproach). He closed the curtain to his window and flopped down on his bed. He wanted to go out. And not just _out, _because he was outside most every day, tending to the cattle, the horses, and the cuccos. He had to help with raking the leaves during autumn and harvesting food for the winter. He was also the errand boy, so to speak, sending messages from Gaeboran, his home, to Ordon Village. He usually accompanied his father or uncle to Ordon, where they traded and sold merchandise and other goods like milk, cheese, rice, leather, furs, cloths and weapons. Once in a while they made weapons specially for the Royal Family, which was neat, because his father was an expert swordsman and his uncle was a renowned blacksmith. Now, at the tender age of twelve, Link was proud to say that he knew a thing or two about being a blacksmith _and_ a swordsman. Both father and uncle taught him when they had free time. So no, Link wasn't a prisoner or anything of the sort. He just wanted to go out and see the _world_. See what his father talked about with his own eyes. He wanted to meet a Goron. Swim with a Zora. He wanted to see what the Royal Family looked like in person, not just the oil paintings he had seen in his father's tiny study.

There was a knock on his door and then his father came in. His face was grim, and that could only mean one thing: bad news. Link wondered if a wolf had attacked the cows again. Maybe a keaton had run off with a goat. Maybe, he thought rather cheerfully, the cuccos had fled. Those nasty birds had a habit of pecking Link for no reason!

"Link" his father said seriously. "I have just recieved a message from Ordon. Hyrule Castle has been infiltrated. The enemy is wreaking havoc and they need reinforcements. I have to go" he explained to Link who stared at his father.

"Can I come too? I can help!" he said bravely. His father gave him a fond smile before shaking his head.

"No Link. You must stay with Maco. He will need your help to craft weapons as fast as you two can" his father said. Link frowned.

"I don't want to stay with Uncle Mac. How long will you be away?" he huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. Here was the perfect opportunity to visit Hyrule Castle and he had to stay put!

"I don't know son. I don't know how bad the situation is yet. Maybe a day. Maybe a week. I don't know. All I know is that I have to leave right now" his father replied.

"Fine" Link said after a moment. "But... promise you will bring me a bow when you return? Just like the one you used to have. I have been saving my rupees" he said, walking over to the small desk in his room. Opening the drawer, he pulled out a small brown bag. Rupees jingled inside as he handed the bag to his father who laughed goodheartedly.

"Alright. I promise" he said, hugging his son. Link followed him outside, where other men had gathered.

"Gaelin, there you are. We have to move fast if we want to make it before morning" one man said.

"Well I'm ready... is everyone else ready too?" Link heard his father say. There was general agreement by the gathered men as they all mounted their horses and wives and children said their good byes.

"I'll see you soon, son" Gaelin said before he took off with the other men.

"Come on Link" Uncle Maco said beside him. "Dinner time and then bedtime, I think. There's nothing for us to do till the sun rises in the morning"

They ate their warm dinner in silence. Link wasn't fond of haggis, so he only picked at his mashed potatos and buttered vegetables.

"Cheer up Link" Uncle Maco said, clapping the young boy hard on the back. Link almost choked on his veggies.

"I'm ok Uncle Mac" he gasped. Roaring with laughter, his uncle put the dishes in the sink.

"Alright, m'boy. It's time for bed. Wash up and go straight to bed. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Good night" Maco said before retreating to his own room. As Link climbed the ladder that lead to his own room, he thought abut Uncle Maco. Or Uncle Mac, as he called him.

His uncle was shorter than his father, but had a stocky, beefier built. He wasn't fat, but his muscles made him look big. People sometimes wondered if Gaelin really was Maco's brother, but one had only to look at their moss-green eyes and raven-black hair to know the answer. Even though Gaelin was taller and thinner than Maco, the resemblence was unmistakable. Link, however, had inherited all of his mother's looks. From the sandy blond hair to the icy blue eyes. He even had a curious, tiny, triangular-shaped birthmark on his left hand that he was sure he had seen on her hand too. Well, if he was even sure of what he remembered. He had been four years old when his mother had died in a freak accident involving a bullbo. The accident had also claimed the lives of his aunt May, and his three year old cousin, Illy. Link had been there too, his father said, but miraculously survived. They had found him buried beneath the carriage's broken pieces. Link didn't remember any of that. He _did_ remember his mother always singing a pretty song. That he _could_ remember vividly. Sometimes, he hummed the melody to himself. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he dreamt of giant bullbos, burning castles and a pale, sinnister figure he didn't recognize. He remembered none of it the next morning.

* * *

"Word has it it ain't nearly as bad as we thought" Mister Satchi said. He was the hamlet's butcher, and he was waiting for his butcher knife to be sharpened. He sat on a small stool that Link was sure wouldn't hold the big man's weight for much longer.

"What did you hear?" Uncle Mac asked without taking his eyes off the knife he was sharpening.

"Castle was 'tacked by o'buncha thieves, is what I heard. A big band'a good-fer-nuthins. 'Spect our good men to return safely within a week" Mr. Satchi said, scratching his big belly.

"Why did they need so much help then?" Link piped up. He had been busy using the bellows to make the furnace reach the appropriate temperature to start melting the iron.

"'Oo knows? Prolly just wanted exter help to make sure everything got taken care of. Maybe needed help with fixing up the place. Maybe they wanted help putting out the fire, eh? Helluva of a fire it was. Still is, by the looks of it" Mr. Satchi said thoughtfully.

After the butcher left, Uncle Mac and Link began working on making weapons.

"Hard to believe Satchi is the decendent of the mayor of Ordon, eh? The mayor who was in charge back when the whole Twilight thing happened" Uncle Mac said out of the blue. Link wiped his forehead.

"What twilight thing? What do you mean?" he asked, taking a swig of water from the canteen.

"Well, tales have it that many years ago" Uncle Mac began, "I'd say about... hmm... about three hundred and fifty, maybe four hundred years ago... Hyrule was covered in Twilight. I don't know all the details, except that some folks called the Twili, came and invaded Hyrule. Wanted to make it stay in perpetual twilight. Some stuff happened but in the end, a hero saved Hyrule. Matter of fact, you are named after him. Your mother was a big fan of the story. Rumor has it he was born and raised in Ordon Village. Crazy stuff, huh?"

Link digested the information. So a hero had been born in Ordon? And the butcher was a decendent of the mayor of that time? Maybe Ordona Province wasn't so boring after all. How incredible it would be if he could go to the castle and become a knight. There was a light knock on the door that startled Link out of his thoughts.

"Answer it, Link, be a good lad" Uncle Mac said, pouring molten iron into a stone bowl. Link set the canteen aside and went to answered the door.

"Link! Hi!" a woman said breathlessly. She was a pretty lady, with dark red hair and light blue eyes. Sometimes, like today, she would bring Uncle Mac a basket full of food or cookies. Lately, Link noted, she had been visiting more often.

"Ms. Lon, hi. Please come in" Link said, opening the door for the lady.

"Thank you, you're such a sweetheart" she said, giving him a kind smile.

"Link, who is... oh" Uncle Mac stopped short. "Malony... hi" he said rather pleased. Malony turned a delicate shade of pink.

"Hello Maco. I brought you and young Link some food and cookies" she said, averting her eyes shyly.

Link wasn't dumb. He politely thanked Malony and took the basket laden with food to the kitchen. Everyone knew Uncle Mac and his lady friend, Malony, liked each other, and he didn't know why they didn't get together already. Shaking his head, he dug into the cookies, relishing in the deliciousness that was this woman's cooking.

* * *

A/N: _So, there you have it! Please leave me your comments and thoughts! I appreciate reviews, as they let me know if I should continue with the fic or not. See you next chapter! xoxo_


	2. Chapter 2

One week later, Link lay on his bed, hands crossed behind his head. The curtains to his window were drawn back and he could see the velvety night sky sprinkled with stars. It was a quiet night; the low humming of the insects outside keeping a steady rhythm. Link was grateful for the light breeze that wafted in through his open window. It was a hot night, and though he had already tossed his dirty, old shirt aside, the heat was still making him uncomfortable. He wondered when his father would come home... he missed him, and also wanted to know if he had brought him the bow he had asked for. He wanted to practice so he could become the best archer ever. Link heard hooves in the distance. Bolting out of bed, he ran across the wooden floor and peered outside. Yes, horses and carriages were making their way home. Link climbed down the ladder in seconds.

"Uncle Mac! I think dad's home!" Link said loudly as he ran across the small kitchen.

"Whoa there, Link, hold your horses boy!" Uncle Mac chuckled, getting out of the wooden chair he had been occupying for the last half hour. "And good timing too. I have good news to share with the both of you"

Link opened the door and eagerly waited for his father. But his father wasn't on a horse. Link scanned the party again, but nothing.

"Where is he?" Link whispered to his uncle.

"Ah, Maco, there you are" one of the men said cheerfully. "Don't worry Link, I brought your father safe."

"Where is that buffoon?" Uncle Mac asked laughingly. Link sighed with relief.

"I'm in here... and I heard that" Gaelin said. The men laughed. It seemed like they were all in good spirits and that made Link feel good. So things had turned out ok at the castle after all. Link peered into the carriage and saw his father. But his father was lying in a make-shift bed, covered in bandages.

"What happened to you?" Link asked.

"Ah, son. The roof on the north side of the castle's entrance was too burnt. It collapsed and some of it landed on me and other men too. Don't worry though, the pieces weren't on fire, but they still caused damage. Mainly to my legs" Gaelin explained to his son. "Broken left leg... sprained right ankle... couple of cuts and bruises on my back. Thank the goddesses nobody died though, just got a little roughed up" he continued.

"Will you be ok?" Uncle Mac asked as he joined them.

"Yeah, the Castle Towne doctor said I should heal fine as long as I keep these planks in place" Gaelin answered, removing the thin blanket from his legs. The bones were being set straight by pieces of wood strapped against them, wrapped in place by thick bandages. "I'm afraid I'm going to be useless until I heal though... the burden of helping with the cattle and other work will rest on you two for a while."

"Yeah, I think you planned this on purpose" Uncle Mac said jokingly. He and young Link helped Gaelin off the carriage and into their small house. Once settled in his bed, Gaelin smiled at Link as Maco went outside to speak to the other men.

"Link, go back to the carriage and fetch my bags please" he grinned. Link did as he was told and came back with his father's heavy bags. He opened the largest one. "Look..." he said, as he pulled out a large, wooden bow. It was the most beautiful bow Link had ever seen. It was mahogany and looked sleek and polished. It had strange markings on it, too. It was almost too big for little Link to carry.

"Castle soldiers told us we could take whatever we found in the debris... and I was lucky enough to find it. It was half buried under piles of burnt junk, inside an elaborate-looking chest. The chest was half burnt itself so I decided to take it. It is yours now, son" he said.

"Wow! Thanks dad!" Link said, smiling from ear to ear, pulling back the taught cord. He swore he felt a slight tingling in his fingers.

"That's a nice-looking bow, to be sure" Maco said, entering his brother's room. "And I have something to share with both of you." He looked at his brother and grinned. "Malony and I are getting married" he said finally. There was stunned silence for a moment.

"Wow! You finally got the balls to ask her, did you?" Gaelin asked laughing.

"Actually she asked me" Maco answered sheepishly.

"When?" Link asked his uncle. If Malony came to live with them, it meant he wouldn't have to eat any more of his uncle's bland cooking, and that was alright with him.

"She wants to do it as soon as possible. Thing is, she wants to wear a fancy dress, and the material her mamma needs to sew it is found only in Hyrule Castle's town market... I offered to go, but now I can't. I can't leave Link to do the hard work" Uncle Mac said, scratching his beard.

"What if I go?" Link asked hopefully.

"Absolutely not" Gaelin answered.

"But dad! I'm almost thirteen! I can do things too!" Link protested.

"The road to Hyrule Castle is long and dangerous. It's half a day's ride. You're too young" his father said.

"How old were you when you first went out on your own?!" Link huffed.

"That's different. Me and your Uncle were fourteen and times were safer back then" Gaelin replied.

"I can do this... please?" Link begged.

"Link... it's very late. Go to bed now" his uncle said, surprising the young boy.

"But Uncle—" Link began but his uncle cut him off

"Go" he said. Grumbling, Link left his father's room, but instead of heading to his own room, he stayed to listen. Eavesdropping was bad, he knew... but he had to know.

"... the road from Gaeboran to Hyrule Castle is one of the safest. We were eleven when we first set out to Hyrule Field, remember? He's a strong, intelligent boy. Give him a chance. You can't be afraid forever" Link heard his uncle say.

"I just couldn't bear it if something happened to him" his father replied.

"He is a good swordsman. Even at his young age he is already showing promising signs. Show him how to shoot his bow. Make him some arrows. That road is deserted, nobody but Ordon villagers and our own people use it. He'll be fine" Maco said. Link heard his father sigh.

"Fine. I'll talk to him in the morning" he finally said, and Link struggled to keep himself from whooping with joy. He quietly climbed the ladder to his room and crawled into bed. He couldn't wait for morning.

* * *

As soon as the sun had risen, Link jumped out of bed and headed for the small kitchen. His uncle was already awake, rumaging through a woven basket Link suspected came from Malony.

"Morning, Link" he said cheerfully.

"Morning Uncle Mac" Link replied, washing his face with water from a bucket at the basin.

"Malony brought breakfast just now. Blueberry porridge and banana muffins" his uncle said, pushing a bowl full of porridge towards Link who now sat at the table. Link helped himself to a muffin. Yes, he could get used to food like this.

"I have to go tend the cattle now. Your father already had breakfast, so if you could just clean out the horses' stalls and feed them... give them fresh water... I think that should be it for today" Uncle Mac said. Link nodded as he wolfed down his breakfast. "Alright. I expect I'll be back in time for lunch" Maco said, grabbing his thick working gloves before exiting the house. Downing the rest of his porridge with a glass of milk, Link left the table to put on his dirty work boots. His father had made them for him and he liked them very much. He was ready to finish his chores, but his father stopped him.

"Link, come here for a minute" he called out from his bedroom. Link's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he was going to have his father's permission to go to Hyrule Towne? He stopped at the door.

"Come in, son. We have things to discuss before you go" he said calmly. Link entered the room and sat at the edge of the bed. "I've decided to let you ride into Hyrule Castle" he began. Link grinned. "But," his father said, raising a hand as if to stop Link from cheering, "you must first learn how to use your bow, and demonstrate that you are good with a sword."

"I can do it!" Link said excitedly. His father smiled.

"Very well. Go finish your chores, then we can begin teaching you how to use a bow. Be a good lad and help me out of this wretched bed, will you? I want to sit outside and enjoy the sun" Gaelin said. And so Link and his father went outside. Gaelin began to carve out small, thin branches and, using Maco's tools, began to make arrows. Link was busy tending the horses, but his blood pumped through his veins. Finally he was going to get out of here on his own. Just thinking about it made him want to laugh with excitement.

Finishing in half the time he normally would have, Link grabbed his new bow and waited for his father's instructions. The morning went by faster than ever, and Link was having trouble using his new bow. But he didn't give up. Even after the sun was beginning to set and his father and uncle were eating dinner with Malony, Link persisted. The moon was high in the sky when he finally hit all targets, dead center.

"Link, that's enough for today... tomorrow you can practice... some more..." his father trailed off. "Well I'll be damned! You hit all the targets!" he said. "Maco, get your ass over here, look at what Link accomplished!"

His uncle came out and laughed heartily. "I knew this kid had it in him. I wouldn't be surprised if he mastered archery by the end of the week" Uncle Maco said, patting Link's back. And it was true. By the end of the week, while Link couldn't be called an expert archer, he could hold his own now. That, coupled with the fact that he was good with a sword, assured his father that he would be ok to go to Hyrule Castle on his own. Besides, the roads were almost always empty... and if he took their fastest horse he would make it in a few hours.

The next morning, Link was geared up with more things than he thought he would need. His father had made him a quiver and his uncle had made him actual arrows. He carried his small sword at his side and a wooden shield he had crafted himself. His bags were full of other trinkets he was sure his father had packed just in case.

"Be safe, son" his father said, leaning against the door frame.

"I will" Link replied.

"Here Link, this is the list of materials Malony needs for her dress. Don't forget!" his Uncle grinned. Link grinned back.

"I won't, Uncle Mac, I promise" he said, mounting the black stallion, Fury. And with that, he set off down the dirt road.

"He'll be fine" Maco said, turning to his brother.

"I know" Gaelin answered, but he still felt uneasy. There was a growing feeling of foreboding in his stomach, like the day his wife had died. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he prayed to the goddesses that Link would be alright.

* * *

**A/N: **_I want to point out that you pronounce Malony like Malon-ee, not bologna lol. Please comment and review! See you next time! xoxo_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_Hi guys! Thank you for your reviews! Just wana say that most of my characters are descendants of previous characters in the Zelda universe, so if you see a name that sounds familiar, it probably means they are descendants of that person ;). Also, I'm not going into much detail about what happened in Twilight Princess because, again, I'm assuming everybody has played the game._

* * *

By late afternoon, Link could see the castle clearly. It was still a little ways away, but he would make it in half an hour, he was sure. He had stopped at the edge of the river to eat lunch and to let Fury rest and drink water. Like his uncle had said, the road to Hyrule Castle was mostly empty. He had encountered a few villagers along the way but mostly they ignored him or politely said hi. A carriage had zoomed by him once, making him almost topple over his horse and Link wondered what the hurry could be, but a strange looking... thing (Link had no other word for it, he had never encountered such an ugly, foul-smelling, short, green creature in his life)... had been following the carriage by bullbo and had told him that a woman was giving birth so they needed to get to the next town quickly. Link thought that was more information than he needed, and so continued on his way. Other than that interesting bit of action, the trip was boring. Now that he was so close to the Castle, he hoped he would get to meet a Goron... or a Zora.

He made it to the castle well before the sun set. He climbed off his horse and, almost shaking with excitement, walked into the castle's town. Even though it was almost evening, the town was still full of life. Link was blasted with music, laughter, chatter and so many other noises he was almost scared. People bustled around, hurriedly going their own way. No one payed him any attention, so he walked around, marveling at everything and everyone. The streets were lined with stands full of goodies for people to buy. The air smelled of delicious food that made his mouth water. People played music outside and children played near the fountain that adorned the center of town. Even though they were peasants like himself, Link noticed that Hyruleans' were dressed neater than he was. And it made sense to him. He wasn't a town's folk. He was from the country. He was a hard laborer.

"Well aren't you geared up for war" someone said behind him. Link wheeled around and saw a young, blond girl looking at him. Dressed in a dirty brown cloak, she appeared to be his own age, if not younger. Link didn't like her attitude.

"Yeah, so?" he snapped. The girl giggled.

"Who's gonna attack you? A teddy bear?" she scoffed.

"None of your business" Link snapped again, and turned away.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she asked. Link rolled his eyes, wishing she would go away. "Well? Are you?" she asked again.

"No" Link replied through clenched teeth.

"So where are you from?" she inquired.

"Leave me alone" Link said. The girl laughed again.

"I can help you find whatever you're looking for, you know" she said.

"If you don't know what I'm looking for, how do you know you can help me?" Link asked, walking away.

"I spend a lot of time here. I know where everything is" she said simply. Link turned around, sighing.

"I'm looking for this" he said, showing her the list Uncle Mac had given him.

"Ooooh," she said, "fancy! Well Madam Mink sells a lot of pretty fabric... she could help you"

"And where is she?" he asked her. The little brat laughed again.

"I don't know... ask around... find her" she giggled.

"I thought you said you would help me!" Link snapped.

"I did! I told you to find Madam Mink" the blond said, looking at him with innocent blue eyes. Link rolled his own and turned away.

"Get out of here and leave me alone if you aren't gonna help me" he said, walking away again.

"Lighten up! I'll take you to her if you give me a ride on your pretty pony" she said.

"Fury is _not_ a pony!" Link huffed. He was seriously annoyed by the brat and he wanted to get on with his errand.

"Come on! Do it!" she begged. Link shook his head.

"No, now go away" he said.

"You're no fun" she pouted. Link heard more hooves coming their way and looked around. Guards were coming toward them.

"Oh no! Hide me!" the little girl said, pulling on her dirty hood.

"Why? Are you a thief? Is that why you're hiding?!" Link hissed. He did not want to be associated with no criminals, especially on his first day at the castle.

"No!" she said, hiding behind Fury, "I'm no thief... I'm—"

"Princess Zelda" one of the guards said as he reached them. Link assumed he was the captain of the guards; he looked so official.

"There's no Zelda here" the little girl said, muffling her voice with her cloak. The guard sighed.

"Princess, if you hadn't done this a hundred times before, maybe I would believe you. As it is, you should think about changing your disguise once in a while" he said. Link heard the little girl sigh. She removed her hood and walked towards the guard, who helped her up onto a horse. He turned to Link and smiled. Link bowed to the Princess of Hyrule.

"Thank you, lad, for keeping our Princess safe. I see you are well prepared" he said. Link grinned, feeling proud.

"Hey... aren't you Gaelin's kid?" one of the guards asked, surprising Link. He nodded and the guard laughed. "I knew it! You're little Link, right? I'm a friend of Gaelin and Maco... I used to live in Gaeboran before I came out here... you're dad came by to help two weeks ago. I'm Corander" the young guard said. The captain looked at Link.

"So your father helped out? Well, we are very grateful for that. Tell you what, why don't you come with us and you can stay at the castle, as a token of our gratitude" he said. Link's eyes grew round and he readily agreed. To think that he had not only met the Princess... but he would be staying at the Castle! He couldn't wait to tell his father.

Of course, "staying at the Castle" didn't mean staying in one of the grand chambers Link had imagined, but instead, in a small room in the west wing, where servants and other help stayed. Link didn't care though. He could now say he had stayed at Hyrule Castle, and that was all that mattered. A kind, old lady helped him find Madam Mink, who happened to be the Castle's very own tailor, and she gave him the fabric free of charge because "he was such a sweet, good looking boy." He didn't see Princess Zelda again, but the workers had only nice things to say about her.. how kind and gentle she was. How wise. But Link knew she was an annoying brat. Not that he told anyone that, of course. All in all, Link thought as he lay on the soft bed, it had been a good day.

* * *

The next morning, Link got an early start. Having finished his errands, and his father waiting for his return, Link had no reason to linger anymore. The sun had yet to rise, but Link was ready to go. Being as quiet as he could so as not to wake anyone, he left the west wing and stepped into the west court yard. How grand, he thought, to live in luxury. He grew up poor, and chances were he would die poor. But he wished he could become a Knight of Hyrule. Heck, even a guard, just to be close to the castle, and maybe make enough money to bring his family here too.

"Leaving already, country boy?" a familiar voice said. He turned to see the Princess, and indeed she looked like a Princess, with the fancy dress and shoes she now wore.

"Yup" he answered, not bothering to bow this time. Maybe being rich wasn't all that great if it made you into a spoiled brat.

"Why so soon?" she asked, falling into step beside him.

"Got things to do" he said, trying to sound manly.

"Wish you could stay" she said softly, making Link look at her.

"Why?" he asked.

Zelda shrugged. "It gets... boring... around here. There's no one my age and I'm not allowed to play with the town's children... I can't leave the castle for my own saftey" she said bitterly. Link felt sorry for her for the first time.

"Maybe one day you can visit my home" he said. "There are lots of children there. After our chores, we like to play in the open fields... they go on and on... playing hide and seek there can take hours"

Zelda sighed and smiled. "It sounds lovely. Certainly a lot better than spending all day learning about Hyrule's history. Maybe I'll ask Captain Dargus to take me... where do you live?" she asked.

"Gaeboran. It's a small place past Ordon Villlage" he replied.

"Ok... I'll ask. If not, I'll make it an order" she said, more to herself than to him. They reached the Castle's south gate that led to the town.

"Well... I better go now" Link said, shielding his eyes against the rising sun.

"Ok... see you later Link" the Princess said, and she turned to run back to the castle. Link made his way out of town. In the early hours of the morning, it was mostly empty, save a few shop keepers cleaning their shops before opening time. As he pulled Fury along, Link thought about the Princess. How sad that she had no one to play with, no one her age to interact with. He wished he could bring her along, but he knew that would never happen. Mounting his horse, he made sure he had all his things with him, and set off to Gaeboran at a gallop.

* * *

As soon as Link reached the road that lead from Ordon to Gaeboran, he knew something was not right. There was the smell of smoke... and he passed by a few loose cows and goats. Why would the cattle be out? Heart thumping in his chest, afraid of what he might find, he slowly urged Fury onward, but even the stallion was apprehensive.

"It's ok boy... it's gonna be fine... maybe a barn caught fire and they are trying to put it out and haven't caught all the animals yet" Link spoke softly to the horse, petting his neck. But even to him, his voice sounded thin and scared. Gathering his courage, Link forced Fury into a gallop. What he found left him breathless. His tiny town was gone. Houses were on fire, the horses were gone. The cattle and the cuccos were running wild. He could smell something burning... something almost sweet but nauseating, and his heart hammered in his chest. He didn't want to think about what that smell was. He jumped off his horse. There was blood on the ground. Lots of it. Knees shaking, Link made his way to his home. His broken house. It hadn't caught fire... yet. By the looks of it, however, the fire would soon engulf all of the houses. He ran inside, hoping to find evidence that his father and his uncle had escaped. His Uncle's room was empty. He ran to his father's room and there... he found him.

He was a bloody heap on the bed. Link's knees wobbled as he slowly made his way to his father's bed. He was too stunned for tears. He looked down at the once strong man who now lay bloodied and broken on the bed. An arrow pierced his throat, and Link gently removed it, wiping the blood away with the sheets. The caking, dry blood was mixed with fresh blood, so Link guessed the attack had happened only a few hours ago. While he had been at Hyrule Castle, someone had attacked his town. Had they killed the others too? Suddenly his father's eyes flew open and he let out a nasty, rasping sound.

"Dad!" Link exclaimed, scared out of his wits. Gaelin took ahold of Link's arm. He was trying to say something, but Link only heard rasping. Struggling against his father's iron grip, he propped him up against the pillows as best he could. Blood dribbled down his chin and neck, making Link's stomach turn.

"Link..." Gaelin breathed, " you... must... go now"

"What happened? Who did this?" Link asked, biting back the tears that were now threatening to spill.

"Get... out... and warn... the royal... family" Gaelin gurgled. "They... are coming... for her... Go Link... warn them"

"Dad, who is? Who did this?" Link asked again, but already, his father's eyes took on a dazed, far off look.

"They... came back... mirror... of..." but Gaelin's eyes were beginning to droop.

"Dad! I'm gonna help you! Hang on!" Link cried out desperately, but already his father's grip was slackening.

"Link... only you... can save us" Gaelin said. To Link, he sounded delirious. Save them? From what? Gaelin turned his eyes to Link and he tried to smile. "I... love you... son" he rasped, and just like that, Link's father was gone.

Link stepped back from the bed, sickened to his stomach. It couldn't be true... his father wasn't dead. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real. What was he supposed to do now?

**A/N: **_Things are going to start to get serious now. I hope everybody is enjoying the fic so far. Again, please comment and review! Onward to the next chappy! xoxo_


	4. Chapter 4

Link covered his father's body with the sheet and said a small prayer to the goddesses. He left the house and hoped to find more of his people. The heat from the flames was too intense though, and he knew he couldn't go looking for anyone inside their homes. He heard a ruckus and hid behind his house, peering through the side. The same, foul-smelling green creature he had met the day before was struggling to take Fury, but Fury was fighting back. The black stallion reared up and struck the creature with his front legs, knocking him out. Link hoped he was dead. It dawned on him that possibly the carriage he had encountered the day before had been transporting the attackers, and he had done nothing about it. _You didn't know, _a tiny voice in his head said, but Link cast it aside. If he had been vigilant, like his Uncle always told him, he would have noticed. Link looked around to make sure the coast was clear before he ran to Fury, who came willingly and let him jump on. There was nothing left here, and he would do as his father had asked. He would return to Hyrule Castle to warn the Royal Family. He turned Fury around and was about to set off at a run, but he heard a noise. Looking around, he saw a large foal, hiding between the bushes.

"Epona!" Link said, jumping off of his horse. "Come here girl, come with me" he said softly. This foal had been born almost a year ago, and he was glad they hadn't taken her too. She was rather fond of him, as Link had been the one to care for her and her mother's stall. Slowly, timidly, she came out of the bushes and towards him, nuzzling his hand. "Good girl. Good girl, Epona... come on, we have to go" he said, tying a rope loosely around her neck so he could pull her along with him and Fury. Once ready, the trio set off at a run towards the castle. He didn't stop for a break; he couldn't. If his father was right, and Link had no doubt in his mind he was, then the Royal Family was in danger. He pushed Fury and Epona more than he had ever pushed a horse before, but they kept up the pace. He would make it up to them later, he thought. Arriving before the sun was out, Link hid his horses outside the Castle's wall, well out of sight. He ran across the drawbridge and up to the castle's doors that were open. He heard screaming and shouting, and he hoped he wasn't too late.

Castle Towne was in chaos.

It was being overrun by the same green creatures that Link had seen before. They were shooting arrows wildly, not caring who they hit. The guards were fighting bravely, trying to get everyone to safety, but they were outnumbered greatly. Link pulled out his sword and stabbed a creature close to him. He needed to get to the castle!

"Too many bulblins!" Link heard one guard shout. Link maneuvered his way through the chaotic crowd, occasionally slicing down a Bulblin. He was almost to the Castle's Main Gate, when the enormous doors were opened. Out came the biggest bullbo Link had ever seen. Atop this giant beast was an equally large bulblin dressed in armor. In his beefy hand, he had the King of Hyrule by the neck.

"Tell us where she is, or your beloved King will die" he said to the town folk, shaking the King like a rag doll. The guards were not able to reach him, as their path was blocked by other bulblins. The town was quiet, only quiet sobbing could be heard. Nobody spoke.

"Fine," the giant bulblin said, "then your king dies now." There was a gasp of horror by the town's people. The young king struggled desperately against the bulblin, but his attempts were almost pathetic. He was five times smaller than the vicious creature.

"Tell us where the brat is" the bulblin roared once again. But the King didn't say, and the town didn't speak. Link, unnoticed by all, bravely shot an arrow at the bulblin, piercing his hand. The bulblin roared in pain and released the young King, who fell hard on his side. Scrambling to get to his feet, the king ran back to the castle, but was stopped by an arrow through his back. There was an uproar from the towns people and chaos broke out again. The men fought alongside the guards, even the women were joining in. The huge bulblin roared in anger and rode his giant bullbo out into town, fighting along his subordinates. Link took the opportunity and slipped between everyone and ran up to the King.

"Your Grace" Link said, turning the King over on his back.

"Find her... keep her safe..." the king mumbled. Link was sure the young king was speaking in desperation. "She is the key to Hyrule's future... keep her safe..." he said, and then he too, like his father, was gone. Link ran into the castle. It was overrun with bulblins too, and servants and guards were trying to hold down the fort. Being a kid bought Link the ability to slip away unnoticed... mostly. Running into a deserted hallway, Link thought about where Zelda could be hiding.

"Link..." someone said from behind him. Staggering to reach him, the young guard he had met, his father's friend, motioned for Link to come closer. Link ran to him, and the young man collapsed. "Link... the Princess and the Queen are with Dargus. Find them... I don't know where they went... Find them and hide her" he said. The door to the hall flung open, letting in three bulblins. "Go, Link! I'll handle them!" Corander said as he unsheathed his sword shakily. Link set off at a run and went into the first door he found.

The castle was like a huge labyrinth, and he was beginning to think he'd never find them. Luckily for him, the corridors were completely empty. He ran up many staircases and looked around every room, but nothing. He reached the highest tower, and there, he found the trio. Dargus wheeled around, fear on his face, sword drawn.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Link.

"I've come to save the Queen and Princess" Link said. He was only twelve years old, but he would fight with his life to make sure those who killed his father, who killed so many innocent people, would not succeed.

"Are the corridors empty?" Dargus asked. Link nodded. Princess Zelda clung to her mother. Link registered for a brief second that Zelda was an exact replica of her mother, except the Queen had long hair, where Zelda's barely reached her chin. "We have to get them out of here, but I couldn't... the castle was flooded by those ass holes" Dargus said.

"I know a passage we can take, not too far from here" the Queen said. "We go to the floor beneath this one, and in the chapel, there is a secret passage behind the statue of the goddesses. We should go there now." Dargus motioned for them to be quiet. There was a noise outside their door. A second later, it burst open, and bulblins poured in. At least five or six.

"Run!" Dargus shouted, and the Queen, taking hold of Zelda and Link's hand, tried to head for the door. Her path was blocked by two bulblins holding clubs. Dargus was held down by two others with bows.

"Leave the children alone" the Queen pleaded.

"Give us the girl and no one need get hurt, your majesty" one of the bulblins said. The Queen took a few steps back.

"What do you want with my daughter? Rupees? You can have it all... let her get out of here" the Queen said, trembling from head to foot. The bulblins laughed.

"We don't want yer money! We don't need it!" the other bulblin said. Link took a chance and drew his sword as fast as he could, stabbing the nearest bulblin through the chest. Using the distraction, Dargus fought off the bulblins and began to engage the remaining enemies in battle. "Link! Take them! Run!" he shouted to the young boy. Link grabbed Zelda's hand and pulled her along. Zelda gripped her mother's hand and the three of them headed for the door. Then Link felt a yank and, turning back, saw that a bulblin had taken hold of the Queen. He held a knife to her throat.

"Run, children!" she yelled, and Link ran. He dragged Zelda behind, who was struggling against his grip.

"We have to go back for mama!" she sobbed.

"Princess... if we go back, they will take you!" Link said, running down the flight of stairs. They reached the chapel and Link bolted the door. The statue of the Goddess was huge, made of white marble.

"Help me move this" Link said to the Princess. She wiped her eyes and nodded. Together, they tried pushing the statue aside, but it was too heavy.

"We can't... even budge it" Zelda panted, leaning against the statue and closing her eyes. "What do we?"

"Try again... we have to!" Link said. Once again, they pushed the statue but this time it budged. Using all their strength, they moved it enough to let their small bodies through. It was a dark passage. Link couldn't see a thing, but they followed the stairs that were leading down anyway. Down and down they went until they finally bumped into a door. Quietly pushing it open, Link peered outside.

"It's the west court yard" Zelda whispered next to him.

"It's empty... let's go" Link said.

The court yard was, indeed, empty. They left the castle's grounds and after a long search, Link found Fury and Epona.

"Here, let me help you up" Link said, but the Princess sniffed and shook her head.

"I can do it on my own, you know" she said, grabbing the hems of her dirty, tattered dress.

"Fine... but you shouldn't be dressed like that, you're an easy target" Link answered as he rummaged through his bags. "Wear this." He handed the Princess a pair of his own worn out pants, and an old, baggy shirt. "It's a good thing your hair is short. Just put this around your head... it's dirty, and it smells, but it's all I got" he said, holding out a dirty, old, blue hat.

"Where do I change?" Zelda asked, looking around. Link frowned.

"Well, here, where else?" he said as though he didn't find the situation awkward. Zelda turned pink.

"Turn around! Don't look" she said. Link turned around and the Princess dressed quickly, making sure Link wasn't peeking. When she was dressed, she jumped onto Fury.

"Where are we going now?" she asked. Link climbed onto Fury, infront of Zelda.

"I don't know..." Link answered truthfully. "We have maybe half an hour before the sun comes up... I bet those things are still gonna be looking for you. We have to find a place to hide"

"I don't know any... I have never been outside of the castle. At least not far from it" Zelda said.

"Let's just go... we'll figure something out" Link said, urging Fury and Epona into a run once again.

Link found them a cave near Lake Hylia. He had never been to the lake, but he had no time to appreciate its beauty.

"We'll be ok here... at least for now," he said, "and I know how to fish. Those jerks know what you look like, but they don't know what I look like. If you stay here while I fish, even if one was to see me, he wouldn't know who I am. He wouldn't bother. But... in the case that he did bother... you take Fury and you get away... as fast as you can... ok?"

"Why are you helping me, Link?" the Princess asked.

"Everyone went through so much to protect you" he said.

"And your parents?" she asked. Link's heart lurched in his chest.

"Dead" he replied after a while. Zelda remained silent.

"I'm sorry" she said after a moment. "Those things weren't just looking for me, you know. I heard one of them talk about a 'bow of destiny' or something weird like that. Apparently it's pretty valuable. The day the castle was ransacked and set on fire... that's what they were after, not me. Apparently we were keeping it safe or something"

Link remembered what his father had said. _"The guards said we could keep whatever we found... I found it in an elaborate chest..." _Could it be? Was it _his_ bow? It made sense as to why they had destroyed his home, too. They had probably been searching for his bow...

"We should get some sleep" he said. If truth was told, however, he didn't think he would be able to sleep a wink. Too much had happened. Two days ago he had been living at home with his father and his uncle... and now he was homeless and an orphan, hiding from monsters, trying to keep the Princess of Hyrule safe. It was almost too much for a kid to endure. Lying on the cold, hard ground, Link listened to the Princess weep quietly. He didn't know how to comfort her when he needed comforting himself. Suddenly the tears that he had kept at bay for so long began to spill. He turned on his side, giving his back to Zelda, though he knew she wasn't paying attention to him. Quietly, he cried for his father, for his uncle, for his people... he wept for Zelda, and the innocent people at Hyrule Castle Towne. And he wept for the innocent childhood that had been cruelly snatched from them at such a tender age.

**A/N: **_So our young heroes are on their own now. What will become of them? Leave me your reviews, your comments... your thoughts. I appreciate any and all feedback! See you next time! xoxo_


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Link ventured into the tiny shop at the edge of Lake Hylia. He pretended to look at the fishing merchandise, but he was really listening to the grown ups talk. He wanted to know what else had happend.

"It was tragic, from what I heard" a plump lady was saying to the shop-keeper. "The Princess is missing, and the King and Queen are dead."

Link felt a pang in his heart.

"How did they die?" the heavy shopkeeper asked, scratching his bushy, brown beard.

"As far as I know, the king was shot down with an arrow... the Queen was pushed out the window of the highest tower in the Castle... horrible, horrible deaths. They didn't deserve that" the woman sniffled.

"Nay. They were good people. I hope the Princess is ok. These are the beginnings of dark times for Hyrule. I feel it in my gut. No one to take over the throne... who will claim it?" the man asked solemnly.

"I heard there's already someone" the woman said, lowering her voice and leaning forward. Link got a little closer. "I heard some... being... from far away... has taken over the throne... they say he looks... evil... people are scared" she whispered. There was a moment of silence as she let that bit of information sink in. "Anyway," she said, straightening up, "those are just rumors. You know how people get after tragic events. We just have to wait and see if it's all true."

"For all of our sakes, I hope those rumors are false. May the goddesses help us" the shopkeeper said, bowing his head in respect. Link left the tiny store and ran back to the hidden cave where Zelda waited.

"Did you find out anything? Are mama and papa ok?" she asked, sounding hopeful. Link shook his head sadly. "No? You didn't find anything?" she inquired.

"They didn't make it..." Link said quietly. The Princess nodded once and turned away from him. Link didn't want her to think about it, so he pulled out his sword. "You need training. I don't know a whole lot, but I can show you what I know. You need it. In case something happens, you need to be able to defend yourself. Father always said it was best to be well prepared for anything... even the most horrible of things. Uncle Mac would tell me to be on the look out for anything suspicious, always. We avoid accidents that way, he used to say" Link said. The Princess looked at Link with wide eyes.

"I've never done anything like this before" she said. Link scratched his head. How was he supposed to teach a _girl_ to hold a sword? To fight?

"Do you know how to fight?" he asked. She shook her head. "Ok... well, first of all, we need to get rid of those clothes" Link said, looking at the over-sized garbs the Princess wore. "They'll only get in the way."

"What?! And what will I wear? I can't be naked!" the young girl squealed.

"Don't be daft. We will find you some other clothes" Link said, but motioned for her to be quiet. The sound of thunder could be heard reverberating through the cave's walls. "We are close to the lake... if it floods... we're history... I think we should move on. Help me grab our things" he said.

Once their pitiful belongings were gathered, Link stepped outside. It was late afternoon, but the sky was becoming dark; typical of a severe Hyrule storm. As soon as they left the safety of their cave, the rain began to fall. Soft, large droplets of cold water splattered against their skin and soaked the ground.

"Where are we going?" Zelda asked, wrapping her arms around Link's waist.

"Dunno. Just gotta get out of here" he said. He urged Fury into a slow trot, afraid to make the large beast slip on the mud and break his leg.

They rode on for over an hour. Link couldn't see a thing. The curtain of rain and lack of light made it impossible to know where he was going. Soaked to the bone and shaking, they stopped at a waterfall.

"H-haven't we b-b-been here before?" Zelda asked the young boy. He shook his head.

"I don't know... m-maybe we c-c-can wait out the s-storm behind there" Link mumbled, shaking. Zelda nodded and they both climbed off of the horse. Slowly pulling Fury and Epona along, they made their way to the waterfall.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" a sharp voice asked. Link froze in panic, and the Princess clung to his arm. There was a metallic clinging, and a sound of... wet feet? Link couldn't quite tell what the noise was. Then a small light came into view. Slowly, it accompanied the footsteps. Two Zoras! Link had never seen one in real life, but his father had shown him paintings.

"Oh, they are just kids" a female Zora said, lowering her trident. The Zora's were beautiful. Tall, pale, fish-like... but also majestic and proud. These two wore armour.

"What are you two small-frys doing out on your own at a time like this?" the male Zora asked. Neither Link or the Princess answered. "Wait a minute... come into the light..." he said, taking a step forward. Link was ready to bolt, taking a couple of steps back. "I know you," he said, addressing Zelda, "you're the missing Princess"

"What are you talking about, Zered?" the female Zora asked. "No way she can be the Princess..."

"It is!" Zered said, "I've seen her before, when I went to Hyrule Castle with King Ral... before he died. Anyway, Princess, you have to get out of the open! It's dangerous! The whole of Hyrule is looking for you! Come with us!" and with that, the two Zora's jumped in the water.

"Come on! We'll take you to safety!" the female Zora said. Link turned to Zelda.

"What do we do?" she asked him.

"We have no choice but to trust them" Link replied.

"And the horses?" the Princess inquired.

"We will come back for the horses, you're Grace. But you must hurry" Zered said. Jumping in after the zoras, Link and Zelda each grabbed on to one and the fish-like creatures began to ascend the waterfall. Link held his breath as the powerful torrent of water swooshed across his face and around his ears. He thought he might not make it... he was already out of breath... his lungs were going to burst soon, he was sure. And then... freedom. He gasped lungfulls of air and coughed. Zelda was beside him, spluttering and gasping herself.

"We apologize, but it was the fastest way to get to our domain" Zered said, helping Zelda out of the water. "It's almost impossible for outsiders to reach this place" he added. Turning to the female Zora, he asked her to go back for their belonging. "Now that Rutil has gone for your things, please, let me escort you to our throne room" Zered said. Link and Zelda followed him, shaking, soaked through to their very bones. The throne room was an enormous, circular room made of beautiful stone. The walls were lined with a path to allow walking, but the center was a very deep pond from which the water flowed into the river that led to Lake Hylia. Other Zoras were happily swimming there, while others were dressed in armour, holding dangerous-looking tridents, like Zered and Rutil. Two such guards were on either side of the throne, which was occupied by the most beautiful Zora Link had ever seen. She was pale, like the rest, and her eyes were the same sapphire blue, but she was dressed in royal garments, and her face was soft, almost human. By her side was a small replica of her. Zered bowed before Queen Zora and the Princess. Hastily, Link and Zelda did the same. After a few seconds, Zered stepped forward to talk to the Queen. Standing, the Queen motioned the children forward. Shyly, Link and Zelda complied.

"My child, forgive me. I heard of your plight too late. By the time my soldiers had arrived at Hyrule Castle, it was much too late to do anything" Queen Zora said to the Princess. "It was an unexpected, cowardly attack. And now you carry the burden. The fate of Hyrule lies upon your small shoulders. My people and I will assist you any way we can. And you, my brave lad," the Queen said, turning to Link, "thank you for helping... no, saving... the Princess of Hyrule. You too now share the burden with her. Your destinies are intertwined. I know it. I'd like you both to meet Princess Zylia, my daughter" and the young Zora Princess stepped forward and curtsied. The Queen turned to her daughter. "Zylia, please show Princess Zelda and Link to the guest bedrooms."

The two of them followed Zylia to the edge of the pond. With a movement of her small hand, she created a large bubble.

"Follow me" she said, smiling at Zelda and Link. Stepping into the bubble after her, the three of them descended into the pond. Slowly, they sunk to the very bottom. "We almost never have guests," Zylia said, "but I'm sure you will like it here. Not many outsiders can say they have been to the Zora's Palace. It's hidden." She slipped her arm through the bubble, but curiously no water came through. Placing her small, webbed hand on the stone, she whispered something in Zora language and the stone began to glow a pale blue. The stone then became a doorway through which they passed. The bubble ascended through a narrow passage until finally they reached the entrance to the palace. It was made of the same stone the throne room was, only these pillars were taller, and the palace was enormous. Link thought it could rival the beauty of Hyrule Castle itself. They followed the young Princess through the hallways until they reached their destination.

"You may wish to bathe. I will have someone bring you clean clothes. Dinner won't be for another hour, so feel free to rest... see you later!" Princess Zylia said, and then ran off, leaving Link and Zelda behind.

"I guess we better go in" Link said, opening the door to the room. It was a vast room, bigger than he had first thought. There were about five beds inside, a fire place, two arm chairs. A painting of Lake Hylia adorned the wall. Double doors led to the huge bathing room. Only it wasn't a normal bathing room. It was more like a hot spring, with flat stones that served as seats. The wall was lined with exotic soaps and oils.

"Wow! Amazing! We didn't have anything like this at home!" Zelda marveled.

"It's neat. I had never seen anything like this but... we can't bathe at the same time" Link said, turning red.

"Oh... no, of course not" Zelda said. "You can go first if you want"

Link shook his head. "Nah, you go on. I'll wait out there" and with that, he stepped out of the bathing room. Slowly, the events of the past few days flooded his mind. It had only been a couple of days since he had first set off to Hyrule, but oh how much had happened since. He couldn't quite grasp the enormity of everything that had happened. The death of his loved ones, the overthrowing of the Royal Family... so much death. He shook his head to clear it. He was tired. He wanted to bathe, and he wanted to sleep. He wanted not to think. There was a light knock at the door, and he went to answer it. A zora guard bowed and handed Link their clean clothes and shoes.

"The Queen sends word that your horses and the rest of your belonging are safe. Your things will be brought here soon. As for your horses, they are being watched down at Zora's domain. Dinner will be served at nineteen hundred hours" he said to Link. Link thanked him and closed the door.

"Um... Link? Did they bring the clothes?" Zelda asked from inside the bathing room.

"Yeah... they're here" he said. The Princess opened the door to the bathing room, cloaked in a fluffy, white robe, a matching towel around her head. She grabbed the clothes from Link's hand and quickly shut the door again. After a few minutes, she opened the door once more and stepped outside. She was dressed in what was clearly Zora clothing. Her hosen were made of pale, almost shimmery material. She wore a light blue peasant's blouse with short sleeves and her knee high boots were silver. She was combing her short, blond hair and smiling.

"We don't posses anything half this grand in Hyrule Castle," she said, "the clothes feel so light and silky"

"Guess it's my turn now" Link said, and he stepped into the bathing room, carrying with him his clothes and shoes.

As soon as he stepped into the warm water, he didn't want to leave, ever. It soothed his tired muscles and made him feel completely relaxed. But he knew he was expected at dinner, so he hurried and bathed and dried himself off. The clothes were indeed very light, almost airy. He too had been given a light blue tunic, a white under shirt, and his pants were made of the same pale, shimmery material Zelda wore. His boots were also silver. He had never in his life owned something this fancy. It felt weird to him somehow. The tunic was too big on him, so he used his own belt to fasten it around his waist. There. That was better. He stepped out of the bathing room and found Zelda was gone. _That little chit, _he thought_, she didn't even wait for me. _He stepped out into the hallway and was greeted by a guard at the door.

"Young Master Link, Princess Zelda has been escorted to the dinner table. Allow me to escort you now, everyone waits for you" the zora guard said. Link blushed. He felt like he was an important noble instead of the insignificant peasant he really was. Quietly, he followed the guard, hoping he wouldn't make a fool of himself among all these royals.

**A/N: **_Ah, the Zoras. Possibly my favorite race in Hyrule (at least from OoT and on, because I didn't particularly like the enemy Zoras shooting fire at me in ALttP lol). I realize I did a crappy job describing these creatures, but just know they look exactly like they do in TP. I guess I should say I don't quite add or describe specific details to places as I assume everybody has played TP, which is basically the map I'm following, except many, many times bigger, and the places are vaster, to allow my characters ample room to travel. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to comment or PM me. As always, your reviews are most welcome! xoxo_


	6. Chapter 6

Dinner had been delicious. Steamed reek fish, steamed watercress, buttered rice... Link had never tasted anything like it. Not even Malony's cooking had been that good. He know lay on one of the five beds in the guest room; so warm and comfortable. Zelda lay on another bed, but she was sleeping. He could hear her steady breathing. He felt bad for her. He had been so consumed with his own misfortune that he had made no effort to understand that she too had lost everything. Her parents, her kingdom... everything she knew. They were the same now. Two orphans on the run from monsters who wanted to kill them. Why though? He had no answers, and he was so tired. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Three days later, Zelda and Link sat at the edge of the throne room's pond. Princess Zylia was swimming around in the pond, occasionally splashing the two children. It had been nice to be worry-free for a couple of days. The Zora's were the kindest beings Link had ever met, treating Zelda and him like family. He envied Princess Zylia for having such a kind, beautiful, wise mother. He wondered if his mother had been the same. Sometimes, the Zora guards would spar with Link, and he had begun trying to teach Zelda too. _She's actually pretty good, _he mused_. _Suddenly, there were running footsteps, and Link instinctively knew to get up and grab Zelda.

"Your Grace! They're here! They're riding on Kargaroks! You must hide!" a guard shouted to the Queen. The Queen jumped to her webbed feet and called for Princess Zylia. The zora Princess jumped out of the pond and ran to her mother's side.

"Children... hide with Zylia in our palace, now!" the Queen shouted, as the sound of giant, flapping wings reached their ears. Zelda shook her head.

"Link, we have to go. If they find out we are here, they will hurt the Zoras!" she said. Link knew she was right. He carried only his sword, shield, bow and quiver with him. The rest of their belongings were in the guest chamber. They would have to leave it all behind. The high-pitched calls of the bulblins could be heard now, along with the flapping of wings and shrieks of the kargaroks.

"Children, now!" the Queen said urgently, but Link grabbed Zelda's hand.

"Your Majesty, we must go!" he called out, and he jumped into the fast-flowing water, pulling Zelda behind him. There was no time to say goodbye now. They let the current take them, and screamed as they fell down the waterfall. Pushing their legs to get up to the surface, they swam to the water's edge. They could hear the bulblins and the zoras battling.

"I feel bad... maybe we should go back and help" Zelda said. Link shook his head, running to the horses who where neighing nervously.

"Nay, the Queen knows you are the target. It is as you say, if they find you here... they can be harmed for harboring you... it's best that we leave" he said, helping Zelda onto Fury. He jumped on behind her. Then they were noticed.

"Look! Two brats right there! Trying to escape!" a bulblin said, turning his kargarok around. He flew around overhead.

"Oh no! Link! What do we do?!" Zelda asked.

"Take the reigns and go! I'll take care of it!" Link said, pulling out his bow. He aimed at the bulblin as Fury began to gallop at full speed, Epona trying hard to keep up. It was a lot harder than he imagined. He couldn't aim correctly when he and his target were on the move. He shot two arrows which missed. He cursed silently and took aim again. This time, he hit the kargarok through the head, making the foul beast shriek in pain and fall. The bulblin shrieked, terror on his face. Aiming once more, Link shot the nasty creature through the chest. Zelda led them through a narrow path and slowed Fury down to a trot.

"Oh no... Link... there are more of them up ahead... I'm sorry!" she hissed, bringing Fury to a full stop. The path was blocked by bulblins with spiked clubs and bows. Some of them snickered.

"Looks like we caught two fancy little brats" one of them sniffed, wiping his nasty nose on his arm.

"They will fetch a good price... bring them here" another said.

"Follow me" Link whispered to Zelda. He slid off of Fury and Zelda followed. "Take my sword and shield..." he said to the Princess. She did as she was told. The bulblins laughed mockingly.

"You two little brats don't really mean to fight us... do ya? There's ten of us and two of you... and more of our friends are on their way" the bulblin said.

"NOW!" Link bellowed, giving Fury a hard smack on his flank. The large beast reared up and took off at a run followed by Epona, startling the dim-witted bulblins. Link took aim and shot down two bulblins instantly, as more rushed towards them. Zelda, he was pleased to see, was using the sword to cut down those close to her. Together, they battled the enemies, but then, their luck ran out. A rather large bulblin used his club to hit Zelda who blocked the blow with the wooden shield, but the shield shattered upon impact, causing her to cry out in pain, holding her arm. The Princess was overpowered. Link, distracted by Zelda's plight, was forced to the ground by another creature he had never seen.

"The bokoblins are here... told ya our friends would be here soon" a bulblin snarled, kicking Link across the face as he walked by. Link felt a warm, sticky liquid run down his mouth and chin. He looked up and saw Zelda struggling against her captors. Link was harshly pulled up to his feet.

"Take the brats to King Bulblin. He'll know what to do" a bulblin said.

"Wait a second... this girl... she looks like the Princess of Hyrule" a bokoblin rasped, peering into Zelda's face, sniffing her. She shook her head, frightened.

"Leave her alone!" Link spluttered.

"Shut your mouth!" his captor said, shaking him brusquely.

"Take her to Lord Zanthos, immediately. If it is the Princess, he will know" the bokoblin said. The bulblin threw Zelda over his shoulder as she kicked and screamed.

_No_, Link thought, _we didn't go through all that for nothing! _He elbowed his captor's ribs with all his might, knocking the wind out of him. He ran to Zelda.

"Link! Don't let them take me! LINK!" Zelda cried desperately, reaching her small hand towards him. Link reached for her but was caught around the waist by a bokoblin.

"You little shit" he breathed in Link's ear, "I'm gonna kill you now!"

Link struggled to break free, but it was impossible.

"Stop struggling or the girl gets it" another bokoblin said, pointing his dirty knife to Zelda's face. Link froze in place. "Your weapons, now" the ugly creature said. Making the hardest decision of his young life, Link dropped his bow to the ground. Immediately a bulblin snatched it up. Now completely defenseless, Link and Zelda were tied tightly with rope and thrown over a bullbo with a bokoblin to ride with them, and taken back to Hyrule Castle.

Link was furious. Zelda looked sick with fear. _At least Fury and Epona got away, _Link thought. The journey was uncomfortable, but didn't take as long as he hoped. They made their way into Castle Towne. Twisiting his head to take a look around, Link felt a mixture of anger and sadness. The town was empty of civilians. The streets were guarded by even more bulblins and bokoblins. The center plaza was patroled by four tall, armored, lizard-like creatures. Dynalfos. He knew them. He had read about them in one of his father's books. They were vicious creatures... Link heard Zelda whimper as she caught sight of them.

"Alright. You there... take these brats to Lord Zanthos" the bokoblin keeping them captive said to a bulblin. The children were yanked off the bullbo harshly and then were pushed and shoved into the castle.

The first thing Link noticed was that the castle was dark. Too dark. It was daytime outside, but the castle was so dark some torches were lit. The bulblin pulled them along, and occasionally Link saw other bokoblins and dynalfos pass them by. They made their way to the throne room. It was almost pitch black, but a curious, shimmery orb was at the center, casting a soft, blue light. Link noticed it had strange patterns on it, but he found the light soothing, almost relaxing. What could it be?

The bulblin pushed the captives forward, making them fall flat on their face. He knelt on one knee before speaking.

"Lord Zanthos," he breathed, "we think we captured the Princess"

There was silence, causing the bulblin to look up.

"Bring her to me" a soft, sinnister voice said from within the darkness. The bulblin didn't look pleased as he came forward to grab Zelda. He pushed her towards the voice. A pale, thin hand reached out for her, cupping her chin, turning her face to both sides. "Very good... very, very good. Foolish girl. Did you think you could hide from me forever?"

Zelda pulled away in disgust. The voice chuckled. "You need not fear me, dear child. I do not intend to kill you. I... am in need of your assistance, that is all" and then he stepped into the light. He was an exceptionally tall and thin being. His eyes were red, skin was pale, almost gray, but curiously he was also black. His face was pale, but his neck, left shoulder, left pectoral and arm were black. Also, the right half of his stomach was black, and it could be assumed that so was his left leg down to his foot. He wore no shirt, only loose, black pants embroidered with gold and the same strange marking that were on the orb adorned his clothes too. His shoes were made of some type of metallic material so that they clanked when he walked. He wore the King's crown.

"My help?" Zelda asked. He nodded once.

"You see... I was cast away from my tribe. I am stuck in this world. I simply need you to open the way for me" he explained, slowly circling Zelda, hands held behind his back.

"What way?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him.

"Why... the way back to my home, child. You have something I need" he answered.

"What can I possibly have that you need?" Zelda asked, glaring at him.

"The arrows, child, the arrows!" he snapped, his cool demeanor slowly changing.

"I have no arrows" Zelda said coldly.

"You lie! Give me the arrows and walk free" he hissed, towering infront of her.

"I don't have them" she said, looking up at him. "And I refuse to believe that you are an innocent, exiled person in distress. Why then, did you kill my people? Why did you kill my parents if all you wanted were these so-called arrows? Tell me... Zanthos... what did you do to get cast out of your tribe?" Zelda challenged angrily. Link had never seen her that way. He flinched as Zanthos struck her across the cheek.

"You dare question me, child? I am done being kind to you" he said, grabbing Zelda's arm.

"Lord Zanthos... your grace..." the bulblin said, frightened half to death. "What should I do with the boy?"

"Throw him in the dungeons" Zanthos said.

"Uh... Lord Zanthos..." the bulblin said again.

"WHAT?!" Zanthos screeched, clearly annoyed by the beast. The bulblin recoiled in fear, but stuck out his arm, showing Link's bow to him.

"This brat had it with him, your grace, it is a bow... I thought it might be the bow you were looking for..."

"Yes! The heavens shine down upon me on this day! Give me the bow, you ugly brute" Zanthos demanded, and with a wave of his long, pale hand, he made the bulblin slide forward across the floor and to him. But as soon as his pale fingers wrapped around the bow, he let out a yelp. The bow had burned him. The engravings on the bow had shone for a few seconds before fading away again. "What is this? Why can I not hold it? You, pick it up" he said to the bulblin. The terrified creature did as told and he was able to hold the bow with no problem. "Shoot the boy" Zanthos commanded.

"No!" Zelda cried, but Zanthos ignored her. The bulblin took out one of his arrows and aimed at Link, but he was unable to pull the string.

"I... I can't" he said, turning to Zanthos.

"Give it here!" Zanthos snarled, and made to grab the bow for the second time. Again, the strange markings on the bow began to shine, and again, Zanthos seemed to be repelled. "What are these markings?!" he shrieked. He waved his hand once more and Link felt himself zoom across the floor. Zanthos caught him by the neck. "Tell me what they say!" Zanthos ordered angrily. Link couldn't breath.

"I... don't... know" he gasped. Being tied up with rope made it impossible for him to try and break free.

"Tell me or I will break your neck!"

"I... don't know..." Link gasped again.

"Very well... you give me no choice" Zanth said, squeezing Link's neck tighter.

"It's Old Hylian" Zelda said. Zanthos turned to her, releasing Link who fell hard to the floor and began to cough violently.

"Old Hylian? Do you speak it?" he asked.

"Certainly I speak it. I am the Princess of Hyrule" Zelda snapped.

"Come child, tell me what this wretched bow says" Zanthos said, immediately reverting to his kind demeanor.

"It says _only the Hero of Destiny can weild the power of light and justice_" Zelda said with a triumphant smile. "Looks like you're done. You can't use it" she said.

"Hero of Destiny... but this boy can use it. He can shoot it. Ha! The heavens smile at me still. I don't need to use it... not when I have you both to do it for me" he said softly, a manical smile upon his pale lips. With a snap of his fingers, a portal opened above them, glowing with the same blue light as the orb. Link felt himself rising through the air and then was sucked into the portal, along with Zelda and Zanthos.

**A:N: **_We finally meet our main villain! Leave me your thoughts and comments in a review! See you soon! xoxo_


	7. Chapter 7

Link was floating through space. It was black and he couldn't see a thing, but he could _feel_. Suspended in the air, he was aware he was not alone. It was a peculiar feeling... floating in nothingness... until finally he was thrust into the light. He fell from the portal in the sky and was spared a painful fall by Zanthos, who lowered the three of them onto the sandy floor. It was a hot place; the air was dry. Link didn't know where he was but the wind bit his skin cruelly as it blasted sand against his face. Taking a moment to look around, he noticed they were outside of some sort of temple. Here too the bulblins, bokoblins and dynalfos took residence, it appeared. Link noticed they were in a circular clearing that had an enormous pillar at its center. Infront of the pillar was a large circular, golden frame that was holding together what appeared to be a broken mirror. At the center of this broken mirror was a piece of glass that had the shape of a tear. Ocassionally it sparkled with that same mysterious blue light.

"It was forbidden by Queen Midna centuries ago..." Zanthos said as he turned to face the broken mirror, giving his back to the children. "The Twili... my people... were never to return to Hyrule again. Or so the Scrolls of History state. You see, this mirror is the link between your precious world of light... and my world of shadows. _Only the true ruler of Twilight can completely destroy the mirror_. Queen Midna destroyed it so the Twili could never return to the light. This is what has been written. This is what has been ordered by the Royal Twili Family. But I found a way. _I_ found a way to travel to Hyrule. I will be the one to merge both shadow and light... I found _it" _

He turned to look at the children. "Why do you look so confused? Is there doubt in your mind that I am great? The Twili have magical powers far beyond anything you have ever seen. Far greater than you can imagine. We posses the power of the Fused Shadow. But it was not this power that allowed me to cross the portal between our worlds even without the mirror. No it was not. It was something else entirely...far more powerful... I found it. Oh yes, I have access to such power" Zanthos said, walking back and forth.

"How can _you_ posses this suppossed power?" Zelda asked.

"How, you ask? I am second in line for the throne. I am a decendant of Queen Midna herself. And it was I who found it... I alone knew her secret. That is why I have been able to reconstruct this mirror. The Mirror of Twilight... all thanks to her. Of course, if my dear sister hadn't caught me... she took the Fused Shadow from me, you know... but she knew not..." Zanthos trailed off. Link and Zelda looked at each other.

"Yes," Zanthos began again, "Midona... she took the Fused Shadow and so I was unable to return to take my place as rightful King. But she knew not that I have _that power _and Midnas' secret with me. You see, children, Queen Midna said this: _The arrows of light from the true ruler of Hyrule, cast with the Bow of Destiny, will reopen the path to the Twilight Realm. _Do you understand? If I open the path, then I can return home... that is really all I want. To return home." Zanthos summoned Zelda to him.

"Now... the arrows, my dear Princess" he crooned. Zelda spat on his face. The bokoblins surrounding them hissed in anger.

"I will never help you!" she said angrily as Zanthos wiped the spit from his face. He then summoned Link.

"Child, you will produce those arrows or I will make this boy suffer. He will go mad with the pain of it" Zanthos threatened.

"Don't do it!" Link shouted. Zanthos used his magic to cast a spell on Link, causing him to writhe and moan in pain. Zelda screamed, horrified.

"Stop it!" she cried, but Zanthos didn't stop. He intensified the pain so that Link was now screaming at the top of his lungs. "I'll do it! I'll give you the arrows! Just stop it!" Zelda wailed. Zanthos stopped. Link curled up into a ball, shaking and sweating. The young Princess stepped foward. "Remove my ropes" she said quietly. A bokoblin stepped forward to cut her bindings. Once free, Zelda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Out of thin air appeared an arrow made of bright light.

"Stand, boy" Zanthos commanded and the ropes binding Link were cut by the same bokoblin. He shakily got to his feet. "Good. Now take your bow... and shoot this arrow at the mirror"

Link glared at the shadow being. He grabbed his bow and took the light arrow from Zelda.

"What if I don't want to?" he said.

"Then I will kill the Princess. She has served her purpose now. There is no reason for her to live" Zanthos said simply. _Keep her safe... she is the key... _those words echoed in Link's head. Everybody had gone through so much to protect her. _Keep her safe... _they had said. Link had no choice. He aimed for the mirror and pulled the string; the arrow shone brightly but didn't blind him. His aim was true. He expected he mirror to shatter, but instead, the light arrow was absorbed into it. The Mirror of Twilight lit up with a light so bright, Link had to cover his eyes. There was a loud humming noise that made Link look again. A few seconds later a portal opened. Zanthos laughed.

"Yes... at last. Now my foolish sister cannot keep the Fused Shadow from me any longer. And with the Power of Shadows combined with this magnificent power... I will bring forth an army of such power never before seen in the history of the Twilight Realm or your beloved Hyrule! And it is thanks to you, my dearest children!" Zanthos said triumphantly. He turned to a bokoblin and ordered to grab the Princess. "You're coming with me" Zanthos said, walking up the stairs that had materialized with the portal.

"LINK!" Zelda shrieked as the bokoblin pulled her along. Link threw himself in the air and grabbed her hand before she could be pushed through the portal. There was a sudden, blinding, white light and a loud, deep boom when their hands touched.. Link and the Princess were lifted into the air by what Link could only think of as a mini, glowing, tornado. Their hair whipped around their face, and it was difficult to breath. Zanthos was thrown into the portal by the force of it and the bulblins and bokoblins were knocked back through the air, smashing into the dynalfos who roared in pain and panic. Link felt a searing, burning sensation on his hand and by the yelp Zelda let out, he knew she did too. Looking down at their joined hands Link saw the cause of the pain. His birthmark was glowing with a golden-white light, and to his utter amazement, Zelda had the exact, same birthmark he did, and her's was glowing too.

"The Triforce" she whispered, reaching out for Link's other hand. They joined hands and pulled each other close, still floating in the air inside the turbulent wind. Neither of them dared to break the connection. The enemies were screaming and shouting below, shooting arrows at the two children, but their arrows never reached them. Suddenly there were more people. Three or four figures, dressed in blue and sporting bandages with a mysterious-looking red eye emblazoned on their chest, began fighting the enemies. Link didn't know what was happening. He was beginning to feel light-headed and weak. He felt Zelda's hand slackening in his and he held on tighter. But it was getting harder and harder to breathe... to keep his grip on the Princess... and then there was nothing.

* * *

Link woke up to darkness. He didn't know where he was, or what had happened. He remembered Zelda and Zanthos... the mirror... and something about the triforce. His left hand throbbed. His head hurt, too. By the feel of it, he was on a bed... but where? Sitting up, he tried to adjust his eyes to the darkness.

"Link! You're awake" a familiar voice said. A lamp was lit and Zelda came into view. She looked tired, sitting by his bed.

"Where are we?" Link croaked. His throat was dry and he was thirsty.

"With the Sheikah. They saved us. We are in the Hidden Village" Zelda explained.

"What happened to Zanthos? And the mirror?" he asked worriedly.

Zelda shook her head. "I don't remember much either"

"How long was I out?" he asked, massaging his temples.

"Just a couple of hours" Zelda said.

The door to the room opened and someone came inside. She was a tall, slender woman with red eyes and long, bright, blond hair. She couldn't be more than thirty-five years old, if Link guessed correctly. The same curious red eye that adorned her chest was tattooed on her forehead.

"This is Impa, leader of the Sheikah" Zelda said. Impa smiled at Link. He was so confused. He vaguely remembered something his dad told him about a magical tribe from long ago.

"We were lucky to find you" Impa said, pouring water into a wooden cup. She added two drops of some strange, red liquid and handed the cup to Link. "Drink. This will make you feel better" she said. Link thirstily gulped down the water and immediately felt the pains subside.

"Wow... what was that?" he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Red Potion. It is a healing potion sold through out Hyrule, but only the best witches and sorcerers make it" Impa replied. "Come... let us venture outside, the cool breeze will do you both good."

They followed Impa outside. The Hidden Village was made up of no more than four or five buildings and about three houses. It was rundown, empty; old ruins... like it had been abandoned many, many centuries ago. He saw the other Sheikah then, all dressed similarly. There was a tiny old lady with fluffy white hair, a red-headed young man, who seemed to be Impa's age, that was tending, to Link's surprise and joy, to Epona and Fury. And there were two others, a boy and a girl. They were identical. Same slender bodies and silver hair. They couldn't be much older than Link. Probably in their late teens. All had the same eye tattooed on their forehead. And then he noticed the sky. The sky was blue... but blackness was starting to bleed through like ink through part of it. It gave Link the shivers. He turned away.

"What is this place?" he asked curiously, looking around village.

"It's called the Hidden Village. Many, many years ago... almost eight-hundred years ago, to be exact... a great woman built this place for her tribe, the Shadow Folk... also known as the Sheikah. I am named after her, by the way. Anyway, we served for many centuries as the Royal Family's personal guards. Throughout the years, as wars and strife claimed Hyrule, less and less of our people remained. There was a time when everybody thought the Sheikah to be long gone. But we were not. We merely spread out, blended in with other people, like the Hylians... the Gerudo. We are descendants of these great people. Five of us came to rebuild this village, in the hopes of bringing other Sheikahs back too" Impa explained.

Link didn't know what to say. He remembered now that he had heard about the Sheikah in the books his father had kept in his study. He never in his wildest dreams thought he would actually meet one. He turned to Zelda.

"Why did you mention the triforce?" he asked the Princess. Everybody knew about the Triforce, of course. It was the sacred relic left behind by the three goddesses of Hyrule. Din, who represents power, Nayru, who represents wisdom, and Farore, who represents courage. But what did that have to do with him and Zelda? The Princess sighed.

"Part of being a member of the Royal Family involves protecting this sacred relic" Zelda began. "For generations, the Royal Family has kept the Triforce safe, in a place called The Temple of Light. Somehow... I don't know how or why... it seems I hold a piece... and so do you Link. They activated when we held hands... it sensed we were in great danger"

Link remained silent. He held a piece of the Triforce? That was ridiculous. He was a lowly peasant. He was a nobody. He couldn't possibly hold a piece of such holy power.

"There is a legend passed down by the Shadow Folk" Impa said as she began to walk. The two children followed her. "The legend speaks of the Twili. These beings were cast into the Twilight Realm after trying to rule the Sacred Realm. Do you know what the Sacred Realm is?" she asked. Zelda nodded as Link shook his head.

"It's the place where the Triforce rested when the goddesses ascended once more to the heavens. It is the Temple of Light, or the Golden Land" the Princess answered. Impa nodded.

"Yes, that is correct. Well... I am sure you know about the Twilight Take Over, yes?" Impa asked. Both children nodded. "Good. It was said that only the true ruler of the Twilight Realm could destroy the Mirror of Twilight—"

"Yeah, Zanthos told us" Link interrupted bitterly. He was angry at what he had helped that fiend do.

Impa looked at him for a couple of seconds before continuing. "The Twilight Princess did, indeed, destroy the mirror. I know so, because I have been to the place where it rested. And so have you. I saw it with my own eyes. Nothing remained. But this legend speaks of the return of the Twili to Hyrule. Now I know the legend is true. But this legend also spoke of a Hero who would arise and help restore Hyrule to its peacefulness, with the help of the Princess."

Zelda and Link stared wide-eyed at the Sheikah. She smiled softly, a look of saddness in her eyes. "It is a heavy burden that weighs your young shoulders down now" she said quietly.

"How do you know all this?" Link asked, mouth agape.

Impa chuckled. "Why... we speak to the stones, of course" she said, and disappeared in a flash of bright light.

"They speak to the... what is that supposed to mean?!" he raged, rounding on Zelda. She shook her head and shrugged.

**A/N: **_So Zanthos found a way back, but how?! And __we finally find out Link and Zelda are weilders of their respective Triforce pieces! But of course they are... otherwise I'd have no story lol. In came the Sheikah, too! I promise the story Zanthos said and legend that Impa talks about will be expanded upon throughout the course of the story. It will make sense, I promise! Anyway, please review! See you next time! xoxo_


	8. Chapter 8

"Come at me with all your might!"

Link thrust his wooden sword forward, but Impa dodged easily. Having her right where he wanted her, Link did a spin attack, effectively knocking back the Sheikah. He pointed his sword at her neck and she laughed.

"It seems there is nothing more for me to teach in the way of the sword" Impa said as Link helped her up. Ten years had passed since the first day she had brought them to the Hidden Village. Now, Link was much taller than the blond Sheikah. He turned to search for Zelda. She was training with Fanaad, the carrot head. It was a different type of training though; one Link had never gotten good at. Zelda had become skilled in the art of magic, like the Shadow Folk. She dressed like one, too. As for Link... he had decided he didn't look so good in a tight, blue suit.

"Link... I think it is time to go out into the world again" Impa said seriously, interrupting his thoughts. Link looked at her for a moment and nodded. He agreed. Throughout the past years, they had witnessed the steady decline of the once prosperous Hyrule. It had plagued him with guilt that he and Zelda had been the cause of it, even if it had been against their will. They had been too young then to do anything about it. But now... now they had a fighting chance. They could restore hope for Hyrule. Zelda and Fanaad joined them.

"What is it?" Fanaad asked.

"It is time" Impa answered. Fanaad nodded in understanding.

"Yes. We have trained these two in hand to hand combat, archery, magic and swordsmanship. It seems they are ready to confront the enemies" Fanaad said solemnly. The other three Sheikah joined them. Link felt a sense of pride as he looked at them. Impa, who showed them the ways of the sword. Red-headed Fanaad, who taught them magic. Ryder, who helped them master archery and her twin brother, Stryker, who had trained them in hand to hand combat. And then there was Granny. Link felt a lump rise in his throat. Granny had been like their surrogate mother. She was ancient... at least two-hundred years old. And even though she was tiny, she was strong and healthy. She made clothes for them. She made their meals... she was their teacher... she would tell them stories and tucked them into bed and sang them a lullaby after a hard days work. He would miss them all.

"I have something for you, young man" Granny said, taking hold of Link's hand. She pulled him slowly away and into her house.

"What is it Granny?" he asked.

"I have kept this safe for many years. It is yours now" she said, rumaging through her closet. She was trying to drag out a huge, heavy chest and Link immediately went to help her. "Open it" she smiled.

Link did as the old lady said. It was unlocked so it opened easily. Inside were... clothing? Shoes too? He pulled everything out. Yes, it was a green tunic, a green, floppy hat, white pants, two brown, leather gloves and belt, and two brown boots. Also, there was a heavy shield inside too. And a sword!

"Granny! What's all this?" he asked, looking at the old lady.

"It belonged to the Hero of old. You are the Chosen One. You must wear this. It is yours by right. Go on, put it on" she urged. She stepped into the other room so he could change. He did so, thinking it would do no harm to humor an old lady. But even as he dressed he felt a sort of tingling sensation... like these clothes really did belong to him.

"Granny..." he called out, and the old woman stepped inside once more. She grinned as she stepped closer to him.

"Ah yes. You look so handsome" she said, adjusting his tunic and fiddling with his belt. She motioned for him to come closer so he knelt on one knee infront of her. "I know you're going to make things right in this world" she continued, adjusting his hat. She took his face in her old, wrinkled hands. "You don't ever let your heart be corrupted by hate and vengeance, you hear me? Your heart is kind and noble. And you keep on eye on the Princess. Together, you two are the key to saving Hyrule" she said, looking into his blue eyes. He gave her his most charming smile.

"I promise, Grans" he said, holding her hands in his.

"Come... tomorrow you will finally face your destiny... but not tonight" she said. Together, they joined the others.

That night, Zelda and Link sat outside the home they shared with Granny.

"You look really good" Zelda said, leaning back on her hands and staring into the night sky. No stars were visible, only the dark shroud of twilight that gave off a soothing, golden glow. Link looked at the now grown woman beside him. She hadn't changed much, he thought. Her hair was long now, though, reaching past her butt. She wore it in a long braid. She had adopted the dressing style of the Sheikah, going so far as to wear bandages around her head.

"Thanks. You too" he replied.

"Are you ready?" the Princess asked quietly.

"For what? Ready to go kick ass?" he grinned. She laughed softly.

"I'm kind of nervous..." she confessed, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"I'm only nervous as to what we are going to find" Link said, laying back on the ground, arms crossed behind his head.

"Me too" Zelda whispered.

Link let his mind wander. Had it really been ten years since he had left home? Ten long years since the last time he saw his father... his uncle? He still felt a dull ache in his heart whenever he thought about his family. Zelda startled him out of his thoughts by kissing his cheek.

"I'm going to sleep. Good night, Link" she said, jumping to her feet. A few seconds later, he heard the door close behind her. He promised himself he would not let anybody's death be in vain. He would do all in his power to right the wrong he had done. For their families... and for the innocents who suffered because of them.

The sun was rising, casting a beautiful golden, pinkish glow across the horizon, even through the shadows. Link checked his bags. Granny and Impa had packed a few things. Cheese, dried meat, bread, along with some tools, like a small knife and rope. He gave the now grown Epona a soft pat on the neck and she turned to nuzzle his neck. Next to them was Zelda, strapping her own bags onto Fury. She looked up at Link and smiled. He smiled back.

"I think I'm ready" she said, checking to make sure her saddle was secure.

"Me too" he said. Granny came to them.

"This is yours, you will need it my dear" she said, handing Zelda a large bag of rupees.

"Thank you, gramama" Zelda said softly, hugging the old lady. They were joined by the rest of the Sheikahs.

"As you set off into the world, so too will we. You will not face all the dangers alone" Impa said. "We will see each other again in our journey to return peace to this land. I ask only this" she said, turning to look at each of them. "That you return here, to the Hidden Village, as often as your journey permits. Granny is staying behind to pray for our safety. I want all of us to keep an eye on her"

Everyone agreed. Not one of them would forsake Granny... not when she had done so much for them.

"Very well. I wish everyone the best of luck. May the goddesses aid you in your quests" Impa said, and in a flash of bright light, she was gone.

"See you around, brats" Ryder said as she stepped forward to hug Link and the Princess. Stryker took two tiny earrings from his pocket.

"Link," he said, "step over here." Link did as he was told and Stryker pierced his ears with the earings quickly. He felt no pain.

"It is a Sheikah's right of passage when one becomes of age" Stryker said, clapping Link hard on the back. He turned to Zelda and kissed her hand. "See you around" he said. Jumping with ease, higher than anyone Link had ever seen anyone jump, both siblings jumped across the Hidden Village's buildings and out of sight in mere seconds, like shadows.

"I don't have much else to say" said the redheaded Sheikah handing Zelda an old piece of parchment. "An accurate map for your travels. Take care you two. See you out there" and in a puff of gray smoke he was gone too. Jumping onto their horses, Link looked back at Granny.

"We'll be back soon Grans" he said.

"We'll come back as soon as we can" Zelda added. Granny smiled.

"I know children. I will wait for you" she said. With that, the two young adults rode off.

"I think Hyrule Castle is about a day's ride" Zelda said as she looked over the map Fanaad had given them. She looked up at Link and he nodded.

"We should check out Castle Towne... see how things are holding up there" he said. Zelda nodded in agreement.

It was eerie how the land had changed since last they had seen it. Twilight shadows merged with the landscape, but somehow it had been unable to shroud everything in darkness. Some places were covered in twilit darkness and shadows, and others remained full of life, fed and encouraged by the sun. The golden orb the twilight shadow could not yet hope to overcome. It gave Link a sense that Hyrule... the land itself... was fighting off the darkness with all its might... clinging to hope that someday someone would come to save it.

At midday, they stopped by the river's bank. The river seemed dryer than Link remembered. Unmounting his mare, Link stretched out his arms and legs. Zelda filled a small pot with water and began to boil it over a small fire.

"You know," she said as she sliced the piece of cheese, "I have spent my entire life hiding. First in Hyrule Castle... then the Hidden Village... I'm glad I am able to be be outside now. I'm glad that I can finally be useful." She handed Link a piece of bread topped with cheese and dry meat. He too was glad to be able to finally get out and fight.

"Me too. I want to right the wrong that has been done to Hyrule and its people" he said as he took a large bite of his bread. Zelda nodded as she tore off a piece of her own food. They ate in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. Once the water had cooled down, Zelda took a drink straight from the pot, making Link grin. He wondered, if she had been living in the castle like a proper princess, would she have dared dress as she was? Eat what she did? Drink straight from the pot? He didn't think so. Royalty wouldn't allow it. Then again, he remembered how he had first met her. She had escaped into Castle Towne, pretending to be a pauper. He had thought her to be a spoiled brat then. Maybe she had been. But those days were long gone, and through it all, she had proved to be brave and intelligent and strong. He guessed they both had had to be. Suddenly, he heard hooves. Heavy hooves were getting closer, and he recognized the sound to be bullbos and their bulblin riders. Zelda looked at Link and they both grinned. They waited patiently for the bulblins to spot them, completely unafraid. And spot them they did, and they charged right at the two. Quick as a keaton, Link drew his bow and arrows, killing two bulblins in less than thirty seconds. The other four raged as the now riderless bullbo took off running in another direction. Zelda ran straight at a charging bullbo and used his ugly snout as leverage to jump up and over the beast and its riders, pulling out a long, thin sword in the process and slicing the neck of the bulblins even before she landed behind the beast, who now squealed away in terror. Link shot the remaining two bulblins. He and Zelda stared at each other and then looked down at the bodies.

"They stink. I can't believe I forgot how much they reek" Zelda said, turning her nose in disgust.

"Yeah... let's get out of here. If these were out for a midday stroll that means more are sure to follow them" Link said, and they quickly gathered their things, leaving the dead bulblins as food for the kargaroks. They didn't stop again until well after midnight, and only because they were tired. They had been fortunate enough to find a place to stay the night. A sort of clearing well hidden behind the otherwise bushy, leafy terrain. The tall trees and thick, high bushes served to hide their horses from the view of any passers-by.

"Well, it's a good thing it's not raining" Zelda said. She unfolded her blankets and spread them out on the ground.

"Yeah. Not the most comfortable place to stay, but at least we are safe here" Link said, removing his boots. He lay down on his own blankets, crossing his arms behind his head. Zelda watched him in silence for a moment.

"I'm glad you're with me," she whispered before turning over, "good night."

"Good night" Link replied. He didn't tell her, but he was glad she was with him too.

**A/N: **_Hi guys! Sorry for not updating in a while, but college life is a busy life lol. Anyway, finally our story is really going to kick off from here on out! I'll be introducing more characters, the plot will unravel little by little and things will start to get crazy. I'll probably alternate between Link ad Zelda as far as their point of view, so don't get confused if I do that with no warning lol. Also, expect some fluff but not too much. See you soon! xoxo_


	9. Chapter 9

"I can see the castle from here" Zelda said, shielding her eyes from the sun. They had left the safety of their clearing a couple of hours back, and now they were closer to the castle than ever. Link glanced sideways at the princess.

"You nervous?" he asked.

"No... yes" Zelda admitted. It had been too long. She wondered how much the castle had changed.

"Well, we'll just have to see how it goes" Link said. Zelda urged Fury into a fast gallop, making Link follow suit.

Outside the castle's west walls, something was going on. Tents had been risen everywhere. Stands of food and games lined the castle outer walls and jesters entertained the public.

"What's going on?" Zelda asked out loud. Approaching slowly, Link and Zelda stopped at a nearby stand run by an older woman.

"Excuse me, ma'am... would you be so kind to let us know what is going on here?" Zelda asked, jumping off of her horse.

"Not from 'round here, are ya?" the woman sniffed as she sliced a loaf of warm bread. Zelda shook her head. "Well, it's the Grand Games. Every year, King Zanthos hosts the games for two months" the woman explained.

"And what exactly are the games?" Link asked, coming to stand beside Zelda. The woman took one look at Link and turned bright red. Zelda tried hard to hide her grin.

"The Grand Games are just a bunch of tournaments that men and woman can participate in. Whoever wins gets a prize" the woman explained.

"What kind of prize?" Zelda inquired. The woman shrugged.

"Nobody's ever won" she said simply, slicing up a beef log.

"Why not?" Link asked. The woman looked up at him and pursed her lips.

"Nobody has been able to win against... that monster" the older woman said, sniffling. Link and Zelda looked at each other.

"Aye... he's not from this land" someone said beside them. An old, frail man was looking at them, leaning on his crooked, wooden cane.

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked. The old man handed the woman a few rupees and she handed him a large slice of bread topped with beef and cheese. The old man took a bite of his food before answering.

"We know him as the Iron Knuckle. He wears extremely heavy armor, yet he moves swiftly. He is ten times stronger than any man in Hyrule, too. Anyone who goes against him... dies" the old man said, taking a swig from his canteen.

"Then why do they challenge him if he can't be beaten?" Link asked with a frown.

"Don't have a choice, do they?" the woman said. "By law, anyone between the ages of eighteen to thirty-five must participate"

"What? Why?" Zelda asked. The old man leaned close to them.

"That's how King Zanthos gets entertainment... while simultaneously getting rid of anyone who may be strong enough, clever enough, to start a rebellion. He knows we Hylians don't want him here. He will never be our King!" the old man spat bitterly.

"How do we sign up?" Link asked. Zelda stared at him with wide eyes.

"Can't anymore. Last day of the challenges, isn't it? Tomorrow we get to see yet another good Hylian die. You gotta try your luck next year, laddie" the man said, shoving the last of his food into his mouth. Slowly, he ambled away.

"That's some bullshit" Link grumbled.

"Watch your mouth, boy!" the older woman said, glaring at the two. After a quick apology, Link and Zelda moved along.

"May as well not draw attention to us" Zelda said quietly, pulling on her hood.

"Let's get out of the open and find some food" Link suggested.

Zelda followed him to the entrance of Castle Towne. "Wait!" she said, stopping Link.

"What is it?" he asked, looking around in alarm.

"I just... I think it's best if we use a disguise while we are here. Zanthos may very well be looking for us even after so many years" Zelda said quietly. Link remained silent for a moment before nodding. She pulled him behind a tent, away from anyone's view.

"How?" he asked. Zelda winked at him. She touched his arm with her hand as she whispered words he could not comprehend. He felt a strange sensation as though he had been doused in cold water.

"Hm..." Zelda said, "not too bad."

"What did you do to me?" Link asked curiously. She unsheathed her sword and held it infront of Link's face so he could look at his reflection.

"Whoa... hey... I look good..." he said, grinning. Instead of his sandy blond hair, he know had auburn hair and his usually clean-shaven face sported a bristly, auburn beard to match. Thick, bushy eyebrows enhanced the now brown eyes that stared back at him. "And you?" he asked, looking expectantly at the princess. She giggled and murmured the same words. Before his very eyes, Zelda's hair turned from blond to raven-black. Her sapphire eyes turned hazel and her fair skin darkened a few shades.

"Nice! are we ready?" Link asked, peering over the side of the tent. Zelda nodded and they emerged, pulling their horses along.

Upon entering Castle Towne, Zelda gasped. The once prosperous little town, with it's clean, stone streets and neat shops, was no more than a dirty, old place. The streets were filthy, the shops unkempt. The townsfolk dressed in rags. Children, with their grimy face and tear-streaked cheeks, wandered around, begging or selling trinkets. The small stands that used to line the streets full of fresh vegetables and fruits were still there, but considerably less full than she remembered. One shop, however, stood out from the rest. It was decidedly cleaner than the rest, and a long line of civilians stood outside it's doors. Zelda was startled when she felt a tug on her robes. She looked down and saw a young boy, no older than six, looking up at her.

"Buy a good-luck charm ma'am?" he said in a soft, sweet voice. An older girl came up next to him. Zelda assumed they were brother and sister.

"Our charms work, miss! They bring good fortune during the tournaments" she said, wiping her nose with her dirty sleeve. Zelda felt a lump rise in her throat. Kneeling down infront of the children, Link pulled out the pouch that held their rupees.

"We'll take two" he smiled. The children's eyes shone bright and they happily gave Link two of their charms. He handed them a red rupee and their eyes grew round as saucers.

"Whoa... excuse me mister... but that's way too much money... the rupees cost two each" the girl said, trying to hand the rupee back to Link. Link shook his head.

"That's alright... These are great charms" he grinned, ruffling the little boy's hair.

"Thanks a lot sir!" the boy said. Zelda knelt infront of the children too.

"Hey guys," she said, "can you tell me what's going on over by that shop?" The kids looked to where she was pointing.

"Oh yeah... That's the place where everyone gets their food for the week" the girl explained, scratching her head. "Commander Kobra lives there."

"What do you mean? What food?" Zelda asked. The little boy shrugged and looked at his sister.

"Mom and dad work in the fields and every week they get a ticket. They take the ticket to Commander Kobra and he gives them... what did he call them? Ratios" she said.

"Oh, you mean rations? Does everyone get a ticket each week?" the princess pressed on. The young girl shook her head.

"Sometimes, if mom and dad don't work hard enough, they don't get a ticket. But you can buy one for three-hundred rupees... we never have that much money" she said sadly. Zelda was angry. How could they do this to her people? She pressed another red rupee into the little boy's hand and smiled.

"Thank you guys" she said. Link and the princess watched them scurry away happily.

"That's so horrible" she said, turning to Link. He nodded.

"Let's go over there and check it out" Link said, nodding towards the shop. Together, they made their way to the shop.

"Excuse me... pardon me..." Link said as he and Zelda made their way through the line of people.

"Hey! You have to wait your turn!" a man said angrily, grabbing Link's arm roughly.

"Gentlemen... there's no need to get carried away" Zelda said, placing her small hand over the man's hand that was gripping Link. The man looked at Zelda for a moment and then, grumbling, let go of Link's arm.

"Can we not cause unnecessary trouble for us?" she hissed at Link as she pulled him to the back of the line.

"Hey, I was just trying to get a good look" Link grinned. But he knew she was right, and so for the next twenty minutes, he waited patiently in line. When it was finally their turn to step inside the shop, Link frowned. He immediately spotted Kobra. He was a dynalfos, only bigger, burlier, and wearing armor. Resting on either side of the counter were two huge axes that Link assumed were his weapons. Kobra's scaly feet were propped up against the counter as he leaned back against the wooden chair he was sitting on. He was chewing on a roasted chicken leg, making disgusting chewing sounds as he devoured it.

"Ticket" he said with his mouth full. Zelda wrinkled her nose. "I said TICKET!" Kobra snapped, slamming his claw against the counter. "I don't have all day!"

"We don't have one" Link said nonchalantly.

"Then what the hell are you doin' here?" Kobra snarled, bits of chewed chicken flying out of his mouth.

"We have money" Zelda replied, a sneer on her pretty face.

"Money, eh? Not from around here, then, I bet. These buffoons never have any money for food" Kobra guffawed.

"Give us a week's rations" Zelda said coldly. Kobra leaned down, picked something up and then slammed it on the counter. It wad a sack full of food. Zelda opened the bag and examined the contents. One loaf of bread, half a bar of cheese, one fully cooked ham, a couple of vegetables like onions and tomatoes and corn, a few fruits that included apples, oranges and peaches, two tiny bags full of rice and beans, and finally, one small jug of milk.

"Where is the rest?" Zelda asked.

"Rest? That's all you get lady, we have more mouths to feed" Kobra said.

"But this is hardly enough. This would feed barely feed a grown man through a week" the princess said incredulously.

"Look here lady, if you need another one, you pay up!" Kobra yawned, ripping another chicken leg from the roasted bird. Zelda opened her mouth to retort, but Link cut her off.

"How much will it be?" he asked, pulling out a couple of purple rupees.

"Three hundred big ones" Kobra said. Handing over the money, Link ushered Zelda out the door.

"This is madness!" Zelda raged as she stepped outside. "This," she said shaking the bag infront of Link, "is ridiculous. Not nearly enough for a standard family!"

"I know. It's bullshit. But we can't do much about it... yet" Link said. "If we can find a way to the warehouse where they keep the goods... well... tonight we can help" he whispered, looking around.

Seeing as they had a couple of hours to kill before sundown, Link and Zelda walked around town, taking not of everything and trying to find the warehouse full of food. They ventured outside and walked around, stopping at nearly every stand, trying to get as much information as possible. When the sun began to set, the people began to close down shop and going home.

"I guess we better find a place to stay" Zelda said.

"We don't have many options... how long does this disguise stay?" Link asked.

"However long I want it to" Zelda replied.

"Then we're just gonna have to sleep out in the field tonight. I don't think it's a good idea to stay anywhere inside the castle walls" Link said. Zelda nodded in agreement and the two went looking for a decent spot to camp out for the night. They found a small cluster of trees nearby and they made a makeshift tent out of their blankets. Starting a small fire in the middle of their space, Zelda began to weep quietly.

"What's the matter?" Link asked with concern.

"It's just... I can't believe how oppressed my people are. I can't believe I did this" she sniffled.

"We didn't mean to. And now we can make it better. We will fix this... I promise" Link said as he reached for her hand. Exhausted and cold, Zelda lied down on the hard earth and closed her eyes. Moments later she felt Link throw her heavy cloak over her before putting out the fire. Link had gone outside to make sure their horsed were securely fastened to the tree.

"Link? It's cold" she said in the dark as she heard him return.

"I know" he said, lying next to her.

"Come closer... we can share my cloak" the princess said shyly. There was a moment of silence before Link moved closer to the princess. Scooting closer to him, she threw the cloak over both of them.

"Good night" she whispered.

"Good night" Link replied.

Curling up against him, Zelda fell asleep.


End file.
